The present invention relates broadly to a carrying case for a musical instrument. More particularly, the invention relates to a musical instrument carrying case that also functions as a stand, where the carrying case is comprised of a non-rigid material.
Professional and amateur players of guitar, banjo, violin, or other stringed instruments are extremely protective of their instruments, which are typically delicate and expensive devices. Damage to a stringed instrument often affects both the looks and the musical quality of the instrument (including the sound of the instrument and monetary value). Thus, professional and amateur players typically must take great care of their instruments, especially during transport or when the player is not using the instrument.
Typically, a stringed instrument is transported in a rigid or hard shell case for protection. These rigid or hard shell cases have handles for the player to carry the instrument much like a suitcase, which is typically not a comfortable means for manually carrying the instrument.
Non-rigid or soft shell bags or cases are commercially available and often equipped with straps for the player to comfortably carry the instrument on his or her back. However, non-rigid or soft shell bags or cases typically do not offer the protection that a rigid or hard shell case provides such that a player has to take extra care in setting down the non-rigid or soft shell bag or case containing the instrument on the floor, against a wall, or against a chair or other furniture.
When setting up for a performance, the player often uses a separate stand for the instrument that prevents the instrument from falling over and being damaged when not in use. Having an instrument stand in addition to a carrying case is an additional purchase and travel cost for the player. Moreover, having a separate stand and carrying case is an inconvenience for the player, who must transport both devices and, for each performance, expend time unpacking and setting up the stand, unpacking the instrument from the case, securing the instrument on the stand, and performing the reverse tasks when the performance is concluded.
Combination carrying cases and stands for musical instruments exist in the prior art as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,833,051, 6,462,260, 6,951,280 and 6,959,810. However, existing combination carrying cases and stands are typically formed with a rigid frame or hard shell case that is not comfortable for a player to manually carry and is more expensive than non-rigid or soft shell carrying cases or bags.
Therefore, a need exists for a combination carrying case and stand for a musical instrument that overcomes the problems noted above and others previously experienced with cases having a rigid frame or hard shell case.